Vending-machine.



No. 663,258. Patented Dec. 4, I900.

G. B. &. J. R. CARTER.

vauoma MACHINE.

(Apphcatxon filed May 10. 1900.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet mu-nnmn[IlllllllllllllllllllllllllllmllIllllllllllllfllflllllllllllllmlllllllllll llllllllll-fllllllllll lllllllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllfllllflllll"1| I [Hi ll lllflllllllllil lllllllllm ll lllllll 67 No. 663,258. Patented Dec. 4, I900.

B. B. & J. R. CARTER.

VENDING MACHINE.

' (Application filed May 1-0, 1900.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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Patented Dec. 4, I900.

G. B. &. J. R. CARTER.

VENDING MACHINE.

(Application filed May 10. 1900.)

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scribed, and particularly stated in the claims.

UNITED STATE PATENT @FFICE.

GEORGE E. CARTER AND JAMES R. CARTER, OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA.

VENDING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,258, dated December4, 1900.

Application filed May 10. 1900 I0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, GEORGE E. CARTER and JAMES R. CARTER, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Petersburg, in the county of Dinwiddi-eand State of Virginia, have in-.

vented certain new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines; and wedo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to automatic vending-machines, particularly of thenickel-inthe-slot type; and it has for its prime object struction,arrangement, and combination of the several mechanisms comprising theapparatus, as will be hereinafter more fully de- In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus, the case beingpartly in section and partly broken away to show the mechanism; Fig. 2,a top plan view of the mechanism removed from the case; Fig. 3, a rearside elevation of the mechanism; Fig. 4, a vertical longitudinal sectionof the package-delivery mechanism and the prize-ticket mechanism,showing the case in dotted lines; Fig. 5, an end elevation showing aportion of the base or support broken away; Fig. 6, a similar view ofthe opposite end, and Fig. 7 a detail of a portion 1 of theprize-ticket-delivery mechanism.

In order to more readily understand the construction and operation ofthe device, we will describe the several mechanisms under the followingheads, viz the case, the push- Serial No. 16,130. (No model.)

desired shape, preferably of the shape outlined in the drawings, whereinthe lower portion, which is designed to receive and hold the mechanism,is of a greater width than the upper portion.

The front of the case is provided with a sight-opening 2, opposite thepackage-containing compartment, and with a package delivery chute 3 anda prize-ticket-delivery chute 4.

One end of the case is provided withadoor 5, through which the mechanismand its supporting-base are entered and taken out.

The push-rod and coin locking mechanism.Mounted upon a suitable base 6,preferably consisting of a frame composed of end pieces 7 7, top piece8, bottom piece 9, and a front piece 10, the top being of less widththan that of the frame, are two vertical brackets 11 and 12. Mounted inthese brackets is a spring-actuated push-rod 13, the outer portion ofwhich is cylindrical in cross-section and has its end which projectsthrough an opening in the door provided with a knob 14. Mounted on thepush-rod between the brackets is a sleeve 19, provided with a coinslot,21, which registers with a slot 22 in the pushrod.

The sleeve is provided with a flange 23, by means of which it is securedto a reciprocating bar 24:, provided with a cam edge 25. The bar 24reciprocates in suitable guideslots in the brackets 11 and 12 and isprovided with a shoulder 27 to limit its inward movement.

The push-rod is provided with a lug or stud 2b to limit its outwardmovement by striking against the bracket ll,and the outward movement ofthe bar 2% is limited by the sleeve 19 contacting with the bracket 12.Attached to the bracket 12 is a hub 29, which is provided with a slot30, into which projects an arm 31 of the spring-actuated dog 32, pivotedto the bracket below the hub.

The push-rod is provided with a cut-away portion 33, into which the arm31 is forced by the action of the spring when the push-rod is forcedinward, and the edge of the reciprocating bar is provided with a slightrecess 34, into which the lower arm 35 of the dog enters to momentarilylock the push-rod and reciprocating bar together, so as to allow thecoin sufficient time to drop through the slots in said push-rod andreciprocating bar.

The articleejector 'mecham'sm.The numeral 36 indicates a plate having avertical stud 37, on which is fulcrumed a lever 38.

One end of this lever carries a friction-Wheel 39, adapted to bearagainst the cam edge of the reciprocating bar, and the other end ispreferably provided with a slightly-curved projection 40, adapted tobear against one end of a spring-actuated ejector-rod 41, operating inbearings made in the arms of a bracket 42. The other end of theejector-rod is attached to an ejector-plate 43, operating in guides 4444.

The numeral 45 indicates a package-compartment, which is open at thefront and has the front edges of its side walls provided withinwardly-projecting flanges 4646 to retain the articles or packageswithin the compartment. These flanges do not extend to the floor of thecompartment, being cut off a short distance above the floor to leavesufficient space for the delivery of the article, which in the presentinstance is a package of cigarettes, and the front edge of the floor isbeveled,as shown at a, to facilitate the delivery of the package. Inorder to prevent the bottom package from accidentally falling out, twosprings 47 47 are provided, one at each side of the compartment. Theforce exerted by these springs while sufficient to prevent the packagefalling outis easily overcome by the force exerted upon theejector-plate when the machine is operated to deliver a package.

The coin-raceway.The numeral 48 indicates the coin-raceway, which isdetachably connected at one end to the bracket 12, the front of the casebeing provided with a slot suitable to accommodate the entry of theproper coin into the raceway. The exit-opening 49 of the racewayregisters with the slotway in the reciprocating sleeve and the pushrod.

The prize ticket delivering mechanism. Mounted upon a suitable base 50is a metal cylinder 51,having one end open and the other end closed by acap 52. The cylinderis provided with a hopper 53, opening into thecylinder, said hopper being adapted to receive the coin as it falls fromthe slotway in the reciprocating sleeve and push-rod and through anopening 54 in the top of the base 6. In order to prevent the coindropping into the hopper with too great frequency, the object being tohave the coin drop into the hopper only occasionallysay on an average ofonce in about fifteen operations of the machine a vertical plate 55 issecured transversely the mouth thereof. In the under side of thecylinder directly beneath the hopper is an opening 56 for the exit ofthe coin, and at one side thereof a spring-finger 57 may be secured toprevent the coin from accidentally falling before being released by thereturn of the pushrod, as will be described later on.

The numeral 58 indicates a piston rod which has its outer end pivoted toone end of a vertical rod59. This rod passes up through the top of thebase and has its upper end secured in the inner end of the push-rod. Ifdesired, the rod 59 may be insulated from the push-rod in order toprevent the package-delivery mechanism from becoming charged with theelectric current. Situated within the open end of the cylinder 51 isacylindrical contact-maker 60, which is restrained in operative positionby means of a slot 61 and a set-screw 62. The outer end of thecontactmaker is beveled or inclined, as shown at b, for graduallyoperating a spring-restrained ejector-rod 63, journaled insuitablebearings. This rod carries at one end a friction-roller 64,which is in constant contact with the beveled end of thecontact-makerandhas its other end connected toavertical rod 65. The rod65 passes up through the top of the base and has its upper end connectedto a ticket-ejector plate 66, which is arranged to reciprocate beneath aticket-compartment 67, as shown in Fig. 5. The ticket-ejector plate isprovided with an opening 68 of sufficient diameter to receive and hold aticket, which on the outward throw of-the ejector-plate will bedischarged onto the delivery-chute 4. The inner end of the contact-makeris provided with a head 69, having a perforation through which the endof' the piston-rod works, and until a coin passes through the hopperinto the cylinder the contact-maker is not set in operation.

The numeral 70 indicates an electric bell which is placed in connectionwith a battery 71, the cylinder 51, and a suitable springcontact 72.

To operate the machine, the proper coin is passed through the slot intothe raceway. The coin rolls on its edge down the raceway andfalling-into the slots in the reciprocating sleeve and push-rod lockssaid sleeve and rod together. After the coin has been deposited thepush-rod is forced inward and as the sleeve is locked to said rod it(the sleeve) and the bar 24 will move together, the cam edge of said barcausing the end of the lever 38 carrying the friction-roller to moveoutward and the other end 40 to move inward. As the end 40 moves inwardthe ejector-plate will push the lower or bottom package out through theopening onto the shelf 0. As the slot in the push-rod is of slightlygreater length than the slots in the sleeve, the coin will drop out assoon as the push-rod is released. In dropping, the coin passes throughthe opening 54 in the top of the base and striking upon the edge of theplate 55 it either bounds to the bottom of the base or falls into thehopper 53. If the coin falls into the hopper, it drops upon thepiston-rod 58, and the push-rod being again forced in the coin will becaught be tween the end of the piston-rod and the contact-maker. Thepush-rod being released,

the piston-rod, moving with the push-rod on its return to normalposition, will impinge the coin against the end of the contact-maker,forcing said contact-maker out-ward against the spring-pressu re of theejector-rod 63 until the contact-maker contacts with the spring- IIO in,the coin will be released owing to the diminishing pressure of thespring-restrained rod 63 upon'the beveled end of the contactmaker as thelatter is forced back to its normal position.

Various modifications or changes may be made in the construction andarrangement of the various parts of the machine without departing fromthe spirit of our invention or sacrificing the principle thereof.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a vending-machine,the combinationof an article-compartment, an article-ejector, a coin-raceway, aspring-actuated slotted pushrod, a slotted sleeve adapted to be lockedto the push-rod bya proper coin, carrying a camedge bar, and a fulcrumedlever, one end of which is operated by the cam edge of the bar to causethe other end to actuate the articleejector.

2. In a vending-machine, the combination of an article-coinpartment, aspring-restrained article-ejector, a coinraceway, a spring-actuatedpush-rod provided with a coin-slot, a sleeve mounted on the push-rod,provided with a cam-edge barand with slots registering with thecoin-slot in the push-bar, said push-rod and sleeve adapted to be lockedtogeiher by a proper coin, and a fulcrumed lever carrying at one end afriction-roller, one end of said lever being operated by a cam edge ofthe bar to cause the other'end to actuate the article-ejector.

3. In a vending-machine,the combination of an article-compartment, anarticle-ejector, a coin-raceway, a spring-actuated push-rod, mounted insuitable brackets, provided with a coin-slot, a sleeve, mounted on thepushrod, provided with a cam-edge bar operating in guides in thebrackets, said sleeve provided with slots registering with the coin-slotin said push-bar, the push-bar and sleeve adapted to be locked togetherby a proper coin, and a fulcrumed lever, as and for the purposespecified.

4. In a vending-machine, the combination with an article-compartment, anarticle-ejector, a coin-raceway, a spring-actuated pushrod provided witha coin-slot, a sleeve mounted on the push-rod, provided with a cam-edgebar and with registering coin-slots, the pushtor, a coin-raceway, aspring-actuated pushrod provided with a coin-slot, a sleeve, mounted onthe push-rod, provided with a cam-edge bar and withregisteringcoin-slots, the pushrod and sleeve adapted to be lockedtogether by a proper coin, and afulcrumed lever, of a ticket-deliverymechanism,an alarm-bell, and suitable electrical connections.

6. In a vending-machine, the combination with a spring-actuated push-rodhaving a coin-delivery opening, of a ticket-delivery mechanismcomprising a suitable cylinder provided with a coin-entrance and acoin-exit,

a piston-rod in the cylinder having one end connected to the push-rod, aspring-restrained ejector-rod having'one end connected to anejector-plate, and an independent slidable contact-maker arranged to bemoved in one direction by the piston-rod and in the oppo site directionby the tension force of the ejector-rod.

7. In a vending-machine, the combination with a spring-actuated push-rodhaving a coin-slotway, of a ticket-delivery mechanism comprising asuitable cylinder provided with a coin-entrance and a coin-exit, apiston-rod in the cylinder having one end connected to the push-rod, aspring restrained ejector-rod having one end connected to anejector-plate and the other end carrying a friction-roller, anindependent slidable contact-maker arranged between the pistonrod andejector-rod, so as to be operated in one direction by said piston-rodand in the opposite direction by said ejector-rod, means for temporarilyretarding the exit of the coin, a ticket-compartment having an exit, analarm-bell and electric connections, whereby an alarm is sounded when acoin is between the piston-rod and contact-maker.

8. In avending-machine,the combination of a spring-actuated push-rodhaving a coinslot, a sleeve mounted on the push-rod, said sleet e beingprovided with slots adapted to register with the coin-slot in thepush-bar, a reciprocating bar attached to the sleeve, and means fortemporarily locking the push-rod and reciprocating bar together, so asto allow for the release of the coin.

9. In a vending-machiue,the combination of a spring-actuated push-rodhaving a coinslot, a sleeve mounted on the push-rod, said sleeve havingregistering coin-slots, a reciprocating bar carried by the sleeve, saidbar being provided with a cam edge, a spring-actuated ejector-rod, and afulcrumed lever having one end adapted for engagement'with the cam edgeof the reciprocating bar and the other end with the ejector-rod.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEO. B. CARTER.

rod and sleeve adapted to be locked together by a proper coin, and afulcrumed lever, of a ticket-delivery mechanism.

5. In a vending-machine, the combination with an article-compartment, anarticle-ejec- JAS. R. CARTER.

Witnesses:

H. FLOYD HATCH, WALTER C. KAVAN.

